Chapter 150

"I heard that Master Arthur is going to hold an engagement ceremony with Miss Jeanne, who is far away in Switzerland, on the exact same day as the head of the family!"
"Oh? Really? Even the handsome and charming young master is taken now? Alas, my sweet dreams are shattered!"
"Yes, me too..."
The crowd gradually walked away, until their voices faded into complete silence.
Yingyue's calm and expressionless face trembled slightly upon hearing those whispered words. Having reached the edge of the fountain, she stared at her own reflection in the water for a long, silent moment. As the surrounding light gradually dimmed, Yingyue raised her right hand to her ear, then swung her arm upward. A flash of purple light traced a semicircle through the air, followed by a dull plash as ripples spread across the fountain pool and vanished. Once again, stillness reclaimed the surroundings.

--- In Reality ---

Abruptly, a pair of violet eyes snapped open. The gaze within was tranquil and serene. Her pupils drifted about for a moment before locking onto the white ceiling with a detached expression.
Yingyue had awakened.
After an indeterminate period of deep slumber, she had finally woken up.
Yet, there was not the slightest trace of joy on Yingyue's face. Instead, her eyes were profound, revealing neither happiness nor anger, sorrow nor delight.
The room was completely empty. After staring at the ceiling for a while—perhaps her eyes grew a bit tired—Yingyue closed them once more, a trace of exhaustion resting on her delicate face.
In her mind, various fragments had surfaced day after day. Each fragment featured different people, but the one who appeared most frequently was a man with golden hair and sky-blue eyes. His appearance kept changing: from the youthful innocence of the drunken spider, he gradually matured into a handsome and charismatic figure, then shifted into someone bewitching and elusive, right up to the final sorrow and despair. It seemed as though every transformation he underwent was intertwined with her.
From their initial acquaintance to the present, they had experienced meeting, knowing, loving, and relying on one another, followed by misunderstandings, separation, reconciliation, and ultimately this current parting. It seemed that with every change, they had tortured one another. Even though their hearts understood each other, the friction between them never ceased.
Regardless of the reasons, they always seemed to spend more time apart than together, constantly tormenting each other's hearts.
Just like this very moment, she had recovered all her memories and knew that no matter what had happened, that man would always hold a significant place in her heart. Yet, precisely because of this, she found herself at a loss as to how to face him now. Even though she knew his heart had always been with her and he must be worrying about her at this very moment, she had no desire to see him right now or tell him that she had recovered. Subconsciously, she almost felt that since he had tormented her for so long, she ought to make him pay some of it back—otherwise, how could she justify hanging her heart on a single tree for all these years?
At this thought, a faint smile touched Yingyue's otherwise serene face.
However, only a short while later, Yingyue slipped back into a deep sleep—though this time, it was merely from fatigue, and she would soon wake up again.
Shilei lingered by the small river in the Water Lotus Garden, waiting to receive another important figure.

A silver-gray car pulled up, and the front passenger door opened first. An elderly man in his fifties stepped out. Dressed in a khaki-colored long robe, he had a lean figure yet exuded boundless vitality. He walked over to the rear door and pulled it open, allowing another elderly man to emerge. The moment this second elder appeared, the surrounding atmosphere instantly turned solemn.
The elder was dressed in a dark blue Zhongshan suit and stood as straight as a pine. Time had left no signs of weathering on him; instead, it added to his formidable aura. His hair was meticulously combed with streaks of contrasting black and silver, possessing a unique, refined elegance. A pair of sharp, sword-like brows sat firmly above a square face, and his eyes were extraordinarily piercing. He radiated the innate authority of someone accustomed to holding a high position, yet entirely devoid of worldly cynicism. Clearly, he was a reclusive and mysterious elder.
Upon seeing the old man, Lei immediately quickened his pace, stepping forward with a joyful smile and shouting, "Grandfather, you've finally arrived!" As he spoke, Shilei went forward to support the elder's arm.
"Hmph, you brat. If I hadn't come, you'd never get things sorted out on your end. Your movements are truly clumsy," the elder cast a side glance at Shilei and rebuked with feigned dissatisfaction, though the corners of his eyes held an unmistakable smile. Clearly, despite his words, he was extremely fond of Shilei.
"Indeed, Grandfather. Your grandson is still somewhat lacking in skill," Shilei replied with utmost docility. "How could I ever compare to you? Doing so would only make me die of utter shame. Rest assured, Grandfather, your grandson still possesses some self-awareness."
"Hmph, as long as you understand!" The elder accepted the flattery without a shred of modesty, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.
"Uncle Shen, thank you for keeping my grandfather company all these years. You've had a hard time," Shilei said after exchanging words with the elder, turning his attention to the second old man who stood slightly behind him—someone who appeared younger than his grandfather—his face filled with sincere gratitude and humility.
"Haha, Young Master, it is nothing. It is only right," Shen Shuyi replied modestly. After all, the bond between him and Shilei's grandfather was a life-and-death friendship forged in their youth; such camaraderie could never be fully captured in a few words.
"How is the girl doing?" The elder asked as he boarded the gondola alongside Shilei.
"Grandpa Gongyang says Yingyue's condition is basically stable and she should wake up within the next couple of days," Shilei replied with a smile, joy radiating from his eyes and brows. Clearly, Yingyue's condition was very promising.
"Good, that's good then," the elder let out a breath of relief, and the stern look in his eyes softened considerably. Shen Shuyi, standing nearby, also set his mind at ease.
As the three of them chatted and laughed, the gondola reached the bank. Shilei helped the two elders ashore. At the entrance of the Water Lotus Garden, Mr. Gongyang stood waiting in traditional Tang attire to welcome their arrival.
Upon seeing Mr. Gongyang, Shilei's grandfather walked forward with a beaming smile. The two men shook hands, and Shilei's grandfather laughed heartily, "Lianming, you've really had a hard time during this period."
Mr. Gongyang shook his head and replied, "It's no trouble at all. I haven't practiced my skills in a long time. This girl has finally given me a chance to keep my hands in practice, so I should be thanking her instead."
"Haha, you old fellow, even at your age, you still can't speak a word of seriousness!" Shilei's grandfather chuckled, scolding him playfully while his eyes beamed with warmth.
"Shuyi, long time no see," after finishing with Shilei's grandfather, Mr. Gongyang walked over to the person standing behind the elder. The two men shook hands, and Shen Shuyi smiled, "What do you mean, long time no see? Didn't we just play chess together not long ago?"
"Haha, that's true, we did play a game recently," Mr. Gongyang laughed.
Seeing the warm and lively reunion between the elders, Shilei smiled as well and chimed in, "Alright, Grandfather, let's go inside to talk. You and Uncle Shen have flown a long way, so you should rest. And Grandpa Gongyang must be exhausted from administering acupuncture to the girl every day."
"Ah, yes. Let's go, let's go inside. We can chat over a cup of tea."
After resting for a moment, the group headed upstairs to visit Yingyue, who had been unconscious for many days.
Shilei's grandfather, Shen Shuyi, Mr. Gongyang, and Shilei stood quietly around Yingyue's bed. Looking at the frail figure lying there, a pang of heartache flashed through all of their eyes. The elder walked to the bedside, and with a calloused yet steady hand, he gently stroked Yingyue's delicate face, his touch filled with deep affection. He spoke softly, "Child, you've suffered."
As he spoke, the corners of the old man's eyes grew slightly damp. Just as he was about to brush across her eyelids, those expressive eyes suddenly snapped open, flashing with a brilliant purple light.
The elder's hand froze. He gazed at Yingyue with overjoyed astonishment, and the hand resting on her cheek began to tremble.
"You... who are you?" Yingyue looked at the kind-faced elder before her. Her heart stirred involuntarily, experiencing a momentary blankness as an overwhelming sense of familiarity welled up from deep within.
"Child, you're awake! Do you feel any discomfort anywhere? You've slept for so many days, are you hungry?" The elder asked eagerly, staring into that familiar pair of large eyes.
Yingyue looked into the very same violet eyes that mirrored her own. Instead of answering his questions, she anxiously reached out both hands, gripping the old man's fingers tightly as she asked once more, "You... who are you?"
A shock ran through the old man's eyes. He did not miss the deep reliance hidden within the depths of Yingyue's gaze. He spoke in a gentle tone, "My good child, I am Xuanyuan Xuanjing, your grandfather. And you are my biological granddaughter—Xuanyuan Zixiao!"
Yingyue's eyes were filled with utter astonishment, almost unable to believe it. "You say... you are my grandfather? My real grandfather?" Although she asked, the moment her gaze brushed against those violet eyes identical to her own, her heart was already eighty percent certain; she merely sought final confirmation.
The elder saw the lingering doubt and anxiety in her eyes and reaffirmed with certainty, "Yes, my good child, I am your biological grandfather." He then pointed toward Shilei standing beside them and added, "Look, this is your biological brother, Xuanyuan Shilei."
Hearing this, Yingyue turned her gaze toward Xuanyuan Shilei, who stood nearby with an expression of intense emotion. In disbelief, she asked, "You... are my real brother?" At that very moment, upon meeting the exact same pair of violet eyes and witnessing the boundless care within them, her heart locked in absolute certainty.
She then looked back at the elder before her, her voice trembling softly as she called out, "Gran... Grandfather..."
Upon hearing this, crystal tears welled up in the old man's eyes, and he choked out, "Ah, my obedient granddaughter!"
Then Yingyue turned her head toward Shilei, whispering, "Bro... Brother..."
Shilei was overcome with intense emotion. He stepped forward, gently pulling one of Yingyue's hands from his grandfather's grasp, holding it tightly as he rejoiced, "Yes, Brother is here, Brother is here! Xiaoxiao, my good Xiaoxiao!"
"I have family? I have a grandfather and a brother?"